Donations to Williamson raise questions

Barbra Williamson, who is running for re-election to the Simi Valley City Council, has received multiple donations from businesses that are owned or managed by the same person, in what appears to be a violation of local campaign finance laws.

According to Williamson's campaign contribution list, Simi Valley's The Vineyards, the Malibu Conference Center and the Morris Gerson Family Co. Inc. each gave the maximum-allowed donations of $1,000, totaling $3,000. According to inquiries made by The Star, Glen Gerson at least partly owns or is the president of all three companies.

If there are contributions being made by separate corporations but controlled by the same contributor, depending on the circumstances, that might be a violation of election finance law, said David Hirsch, Simi Valley city attorney.

He said the city does not have all the facts to do anything yet, but if a complaint of a possible violation is made, the local Citizens' Election Advisory Commission will investigate it, he said.

In addition to the three Gerson company donations, all given on July 7, the same documents list five donations of $1,000 each from other employees at The Vineyards, which Gerson owns. But calls to the business to confirm the employees' donations revealed that two of those donors did not work there.

All contributions associated with the restaurant on Stow Street — totaling $8,000 — were given from July 7 to Oct. 17.

Simi Valley's campaign finance rules say no business can contribute more than $1,000 during the election cycle, and the same goes for individuals. However, people who work at the same business can donate up to $1,000 each as individuals.

A person who controls three companies can contribute under the different company names but is still limited to a total of $1,000 in donations.

City Manager Mike Sedell said the citizens' advisory commission is not an investigative body, nor has it conducted an investigation since it was formed in 1982. But since the issue was raised by questions from The Star, "it appears we will now," he said.

Williamson said she was aware of the Vineyard donations and knew Gerson was involved with the Malibu Conference Center. Williamson said Gerson told her earlier this year that she would be getting several donations from him.

Williamson said she solicited contributions through letters and phone calls. She said she will give back the money if she finds out someone "overcontributed," adding that finance laws are ever-changing, and it's difficult to have a full understanding.

Williamson's treasurer, Bob Swoish, was out of town until Nov. 5, she said.

A city gathering site

The Vineyards is a banquet hall, wedding venue and conference center atop a hill near Highway 118. It also serves food and drinks nightly at the Candlelight Kitchen and Bar. The restaurant often holds events or large gatherings, with capacities of up to 350. In June, Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, held his primary election victory party at The Vineyards.

Gerson has been the owner of The Vineyards since 2006, after buying the hilltop property known then as Dakota's Steakhouse.

According to company Web sites, Gerson is also the president of the Malibu Conference Center, also known as the Calamigos Ranch. According to records from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, he is listed as a member of Morris Gerson Family Co., also in Malibu.

Gerson did not return multiple calls for comment at his various businesses.

According to campaign finance documents, The Vineyard's other contributions to Williamson came from an owner, the banquet manager, a bar manager, a chief financial officer and an operations manager — totaling $5,000.

Soroor C. Campbell, identified in the documents as the owner, donated $1,000 but said she did not know at least two of the other people listed as contributors.

Carlos Camara of Los Angeles, listed as CFO for The Vineyards, who donated $1,000, was not known by Campbell.

Jereme D. Hall, listed as the bar manager, also gave $1,000. "I have no idea who he is," Campbell said.

Sharon Sigourney, the operations manager at The Vineyards, also was listed as giving $1,000. The restaurant confirmed she was employed there.

A call to the Candlelight Kitchen and Bar revealed that Alejandro Paz, who was listed as donating $1,000 in July, no longer works there.

Candidates' responsibility

City law says it is the responsibility of the candidate to track contributions and return contributions in excess of $1,000 within 15 business days of receipt of the excess contribution. The three company donations were given to the Committee to Re-elect Barbra Williamson in July.

Candidates, both challengers and the incumbents, are given an orientation at the beginning of the election season on how to handle contributions when they take out candidacy papers, Sedell said.

Once candidates file their campaign disclosure statements, the City Clerk's office reviews them, as does the advisory commission, for the name, address and amount donated. The documents stay with the city, unless an investigation shows a clear violation of local laws, and then they are forwarded to the Fair Political Practices Commission in Sacramento, said Sedell.

Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, based in Los Angeles, said The Vineyards donations "look suspicious," and there could be a possibility of a violation of local finance laws.

"If he contributed all those under different company names, that's a possible criminal violation," Stern said.

Other contributions

Williamson, 64, is the longest-serving member on the City Council and is seeking her fifth term on Tuesday. She is facing five challengers, including incumbent Steve Sojka, 43, who is seeking his fourth term. Voters will decide on two council seats.

As of Thursday, Williamson received about $44,000 in campaign contributions. The $8,000 in Vineyards contributions make up more than 18 percent of her overall funds.

Sojka reported about $42,000, including $7,000 in late contributions.

The other challengers for City Council have not posted any contributions.

Williamson has documented $1,000 contributions 25 times throughout the election season. At least $20,000 came from developers inside and outside of Simi Valley. Four of them come from individuals in the Saperstein family. David Saperstein is founder and CEO of Five S Capital, a Texas-based partnership that specializes in strategic investments.

Sojka has documented $1,000 contributions 11 times, with five of them from individuals from the Saperstein family, who contributed last week.

Most of his other contributions were given in smaller increments.

"I think the contributions are an indication of who your support base is," Sojka said.

Mayor Paul Miller is also up for re-election for his two-year seat. He faces two challengers.

As of Thursday, Miller received about $24,000 in contributions. He also received the limit of $1,000 contributions 11 times, with four of them from individuals from the Sapersteins, who gave all donations last week.

Miller's challenger, Bruce Witkin, is the only one of the six newcomers in the city races who reported contributions. He received less than $600 from two donors and used the money to buy campaign signs.

All incumbents received contributions of $1,000 from P.W. Gillibrand Co., a sand and gravel dealer near Tapo Street; $500 from the Ventura County Lincoln Club, an organization that supports Republican issues and candidates; and $250 from Anderson Rubbish Disposal, one of the city's waste haulers.

Miller and Williamson received $500 from Oakridge Athletic Club and a total of $2,000 from developer Peter Kiesecker, former property owner of Runkle Ranch, and his wife.

— To view the contributions list, go to the city's Web site at http://www.simivalley.org. Under the What's New tab, click on candidate campaign disclosures.